Grass seeds

Grass seeds

This week Hank came back to the clinic for a follow-up.  I had seen Hank four days previously with a very inflamed red eye which was causing him no small discomfort.

Hank is a two-year old neutered red and white male Brittany Spaniel with a typical medium-length coat.  The Brittany has been bred as a gun dog, primarily to hunt birds, but has also become popular in the last couple of years as a family pet.

I had only managed to examine the eye after having sedated Hank due to all the pain and discomfort.  Only after having cleaned the eye could I see the tail end of a grass seed which had perforated the inner mucosa of the lower eyelid which was gently removed.

I was glad that I decided to sedate Hank to get a closer look. Hank’s owner glad that he decided to finally visit the vet after a whole two days of Hank not getting better, and most of all Hank was allot happier when he woke up.

Walking out in the Maltese countryside in spring and summer when the grass has already dried out can give dogs plenty of enjoyment, but it can also cause problems that you should be aware of.  At this time of year, grasses and weeds are dropping their seeds and the most problematic of these seeds are the spike-like arrows and round burrs.  These seeds have been designed to attach themselves to passing traffic in an attempt to disperse and reseed.

The spiky arrows have fibers that resemble Velco and cling to clothes and dog coats.  They tenaciously migrate in only one direction and will therefore even burrow into skin.  The outcome can be nasty and sometimes difficult to treat.  The round burrs are huge problem for owners of dogs with long floppy ears and spaniels top the list in this respect.  Apart from matting fur, these burrs can get lodged in the ears and cause severe swelling and pain.  So, at this time of year, you need to keep an eye out for changes in canine behaviour relating to the ears, nose, eyes, mouth, and paws. 

If your dog is:

·       shaking it head, favoring one side of its head, or scratching its ear, it is possible that a grass seed has become lodged in the ear canal.  The ear is a very delicate instrument and your dog will suffer if it not treated quickly.

·       sneezing violently, possibly with blood, or pawing at its nose, then a grass seed could have got caught up in the nasal canal. 

·       exhibiting signs of weeping or discharge from the eye and the eye is red and inflamed.  A grass seed could be embedded in the soft tissue beneath the upper or lower eyelid.  If not attended to, your dog could go blind.

·        limping, then the first thing to check for is a grass seed.  Seeds that get caught in between dogs’ toes can penetrate the skin .

·       showing a skin swelling in any part of the body could also be caused by penetrating grass seeds. These need to be treated accordingly depending on  location and duration

 

You should make every effort to check your dog at this time of year, but you should attempt to gently remove grass seeds only if you can still see it protruding from its entry point – you might still need to see your Vet to make sure that the full seed has been extracted.   Additional preventive measures that you can take after walking your dog include brushing and combing your dog’s coat after every walk, avoiding areas with long drying grass, and keeping your dog’s coat trimmed if they are medium to long-haired.

Hank’s problem was identified and treated.  His owners tell me that he still enjoys running through the grass, but this time they are careful to check him over after each walk.

Dr Martin Debattista

Veterinary Surgeon

thisweekwiththevet@gmail.com